An AIADMK lawmaker in state assembly demanded a polytechnic college at Valliyur in his constituency, saying that when Lord Hanuman sought the blessings of Sita in Ramayana at Asokavanam, she blessed him with two 'betel' leaves and said it would bring him victory. Higher Education Minister KP Anbazhagan said plea for a-polytechnic-college will be looked into if the enrollment-ratio was high in that region.

UP BJP leader Vineet Agarwal Sharda has said Lord Hanuman belonged to the Vaishya community, weeks after CM Yogi Adityanath termed the Hindu deity a Dalit. Talking to PTI, Mr Sharda claimed Vaishya community and Lord Ram come from the same lineage and Lord Hanuman is the adopted son of Lord Ram. Mr Sharda, however, evaded reply to a question on Yogi Adityanath's remarks.

After UP CM Yogi Adityanath called Hanuman a Dalit while campaigning in Rajasthan, chairman of NCST Nand Kumar Sai has also triggered a controversy by claiming that Hanuman was a tribal. Speaking to India Today, NCST chairman said, Lord Hanuman was a tribal and not Dalit because he lived in exile with Lord Ram where members of the tribal community became his close aides.